DIVORCE SUIT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21954, 10 November 1934, Page 15

DIVORCE SUIT

PETITION BY BOXER WIFE WELL-KNiOWN RUNNEft PROMINENT JOCKEY CITED CLAIM FOR £SOO DAMAGES [hi: TEXjEGKAFH—press association] "WELLINGTON, Friday The unhappy marriage of two New Zealand representative athletes was the subject of divorce proceedings heard in the Supreme Court at Wellington to-day before Mr. Justice Reed. Petitioner was Ted Morgan, winner of a boxing title at the Olympic Games at Amsterdam in 1928, and respondent was Norma Morgan, formerly Miss Norma Wilson, champion sprinter, who also went to the Games with the NewZealand team.

Petitioner £SOO as damages from Rangi Marsh, prominent New Zealand jockey, who was cited as corespondent. Respondent and co-respondent denied the allegation of misconduct, and alleged, moreover, that the petition was collusive and was presented by agreement between petitioner, respondent and co-respondent on or about March 2. They alleged that petitioner, by blows and threats, compelled them to sign an admission of misconduct, although they had repeatedly assured petitioner that no such misconduct had been committed.

Petitioner, a plumber, said in evidence that he married respondent in April, 1933. They lived happily until last January, when his wife went away on a three weeks,', holiday, and to visit her people at Gisborne. She did not return at the end of that time. Four weeks passed and she had still not returned. He communicated with her by telephone. 'She said she wanted to go to another race meeting. He told her if she did not come home he would come up and would want to know why. His wife then said she would come. Meeting at Station When she arrived he met her at the station, said petitioner. She did not return his kiss, but stepped back and asked if he would divorce her. Sho said her suitcases were empty and sho had come to collect her clothes. Next day, in reply to his questions, she said there was another man and that misconduct had occurred between them. Subsequently she told him the other man was Marsh.

Petitioner said that at his request a solicitor prepared a document for signature, acknowledging that misconduct had taken place. He and respondent then took train to Hastings and found Marsh waiting for them on the station. Petitioner gave Marsh the paper to sign, but before signing it Marsh wanted an assurance that Morgan, would not claim damages. He gave this undertaking. Some weeks after his return from Hastings, his wifo issued maintenance proceedings against him, and as a result he had taken out the petition for divorce. He und his wife had be* come engaged after they , met on their trip to the Olympic Games. Some time after that the engagement was broken off and he got his ring back. " Singing a Song "

Mr. Rollings, for .respondent: From that time until you got married I think you scarcely saw your wife? You met only a few weeks before you were married in a registry office?

Petitioner: Tha.t is true. Was your married life from the commencement a happy one? —We were happy in lots of ways. Were there any ways in which you were unhappy ?—When my wife lost her temper we were unhappy. Were you ever unhappy when the husband lost his temper?— The husband never lost his temper. Never? —He had good occasion to sometimes. His Honor: A boxing man is not much good unless he can control his temper. Petitioner said on one .occasion his wife threw a brush at him, and his head was cut open. Mr. Rollings: Without any cause? Petitioner said he was in the'bedroom singing a song. Mr. Rollings: That explains everything. (Laughter.) Petitioner said he admitted he did not have a very good voice. Petitioner denied that he had been cruel to his wifti and had blackened her mother's even. His wife's mother, he said, had made a rush at him. He side-stepped her and she collided with the door. He also' denied that his wife bad accused him of being cruel to her.

Other Witnesses Heard Reginald C. Carr, of Wellington, an acquaintance of Mr. and Mrs. Morgan, said he met Mis. Morgan one day early in March and gave her a lift through the city,. She told him then that she was on her way to see her husband to arrange a separation, that their marriage had been a mistake from the start, s.nd that it had been her fault. She suggested that witness should make arrangements to go out with her husband sometimes, as he would be "very cut up" over the separation. Frank Allen, of Gisborne, said that on a race night in February, when he went to a dance in Gisborne, he saw Mrs. Morgan there dancing several times with Marsh. Sho said to witness, "I hope Ted doesn't find out I'm here." Morgan vras at that time in Gisborne.

Mrs. Emily K. Miller, George Fraser and Constable A. T. Cleverley gave evidence that before) Mrs. Morgan went away on a holiday she and her husband seemed happy. Constable Cleverley said Morgan was a clean-Irving, quiet young man. He had not heard of his being "ruel to his wife. The hearing was adjourned.